40 Oddly Terrifying Pictures That Gave People The Creeps
There are a lot of things in the world that are unpleasant and frightening based on their very nature. But there are some strange things out there that are oddly terrifying even though they are fairly mundane. The way ice freezes, the way a plant looks after it dries, pictures taken at the wrong moment: these are things that shouldn’t be terrifying, but somehow manage to be. These are pictures that are oddly terrifying, though admittedly, some of them are understandably terrifying.
The Ultimate Rap Battle
We’re not sure if this is creepy or amusing. In a Welsh Christmas tradition, a horse skull comes to your door and sings rhymes. You have to sing rhymes back regarding why this dead horse cannot be allowed in your home. It goes on until one side gives up, and if you lose, the horse gets to drink all of your beer. It does seem to be a little silly, but at the same time, there’s something inherently creepy about the whole thing. Who came up with this tradition anyway?
The Next Level
Halloween is nowhere near as scary as it used to be. Most costumes are cute or cool these days, with little intent to inspire actual fear. This family goes about their costumes a little differently, a little more… traditionally.
The Next Level
It’s definitely a creepy look, there’s no denying that. But at the same time, we have to applaud the parent that put this much time and effort into making a costume that looks this good. That’s pretty amazing!
Invasion of the Giant Bugs
Mosquitoes are already a bane to humans all over the world. But imagine if they could get this big! Truly, this is nightmare fuel. The picture isn’t photoshopped, it’s actually the result of a bug flying right in front of the camera lens right as the picture was taken.
Along with the fog, it makes for a truly eerie effect that will probably make a lot of bug haters very uncomfortable. That, or give a lot of gamers EDF flashbacks.
Invasion Of The Giant Bugs
The Cabbage Fields
Who would have thought that something as mundane as cabbage could look so unsettling and oddly terrifying? Seriously, this image is just a cabbage field. And yet, it looks a lot more like some sort of alien egg nest, doesn’t it?
The Cabbage Fields
We suppose this is what happens when people don’t know where things come from or what they look at during their various stages of growth. Honestly, how many people would know what this is at a glance?
The Duality of Nature
We’re actually a little torn on this one: on one hand, we can definitely see why someone who doesn’t like bugs might find this ladybug covered in dew as creepy or oddly terrifying. But at the same time, we can’t help but feel that it’s kind of cute.
The Duality Of Nature
It can go both ways, depending on who is looking at it. But because some people might still find it unsettling, we’ve decided to put it here anyway.
Feeling Unnatural
We often picture birds as animals that fly. That’s just what they do. So seeing them performing a seemingly strange motion like running with their actual feet could be oddly terrifying. It’s just uncanny to see them do it.
Feeling Unnatural
Case in point, just look at these birds running towards you. It’s weird how oddly human they look in motion. We can’t imagine this actually looks natural to many people since birds are rarely seen behaving this way in the day-to-day.
From the Depths
Speaking of the mundane turning into oddly terrifying things, this is literally just some rubber gloves being washed in a machine. So how did it turn out so creepy? Just luck of the draw, we suppose.
From The Depths
We imagine this gave someone a fright when they first opened the machine’s door. It really does look like a horde of hands coming out of the depths of the underworld. Coincidences like these don’t happen too often.
Art and Fear
This isn’t a natural phenomenon: it’s art made by a person using driftwood. But it’s hard to look at it as something creative more than something oddly terrifying. These ents, dryads, or tree people, whatever you want to call them, would give someone a heart attack while walking through the woods.
Art And Fear
Sure, it’s creative, but the idea of dismembered tree people hanging out in the woods is pretty creepy in its own right. We suppose the unsettling is art just as much as anything else.
Snapdragon Corpses
Flowers and plants are often quite beautiful when they are alive. But when they die, what’s left can be oddly terrifying. What you are looking at here is a Snapdragon plant after it has died. Of course, it looks more like the souls of the damned.
Snapdragon Corpses
It’s very odd how all of the dead flowers look like strange goblin skulls now. There’s no denying that this technically normal part of nature is extremely unsettling in its own right.
The Harpy Eagle
There’s nothing particularly creepy about the Harpy Eagle. It actually looks like a pretty swell bird. The real thing that’s so oddly (or justifiably) terrifying about the Harpy Eagle is just how huge it is. It’s the largest eagle in the world, and easily comparable to a grown man.
The Harpy Eagle
We highly doubt a Harpy Eagle would attack a person for no reason out of the blue, but the mere fact that it could potentially take down an adult human being if it got in the mood is terrifying in and of itself.
A Bit of a Coincidence
OK, so we’re not saying that there’s a relation between big caves and people disappearing, but… well, there certainly seems to, based on this image, doesn’t there? Maybe it’s just a coincidence.
A Bit Of A Coincidence
One way or another, laying eyes on this particular coincidence is somewhat creepy if you ask us. Oddly terrifying? We feel that it is. Maybe it should make you think twice about going spelunking!
Tricks of the Trade
Honestly, the fact that spiky contact lenses even exist is pretty terrifying in our books. The good news is that they aren’t meant to be worn, which we suppose makes us feel a little better. Still, it’s creepy even considering the way they were intended to be used.
Tricks Of The Trade
Truly, learning about the way bodies are prepared for funerals is pretty off-putting. Maybe it’s better to just not think about it.
The Skin Cake
There are a precious few scenarios in which it might make sense to make a cake that looks like a scientifically accurate piece of skin. However, we can’t think of any situation in which it wouldn’t be somewhat horrifying.
The Skin Cake
Would you really want to eat this? Hopefully, it looks a lot more palatable after being cut up, but even that is no guarantee. Just knowing what it looked like in the first place would probably turn someone off in no time flat.
Alien Invasion
Want to scare some poor pedestrians with an oddly terrifying kite? Few designs will do a better job of that than this squid one. It is very disconcerting to see this thing just flying around in the sky, especially when it’s just a black silhouette.
Alien Invasion
We wonder if certain types of kites are against the rules in other countries. How many ‘alien’ sightings have been some odd kite or something similar? The world may never know.
The Frog Ritual
Frogs tend to come out after a good rain. That in and of itself isn’t that weird. But what’s oddly terrifying about this picture is how many frogs there are, as well as the strange way they are all facing in the same direction.
The Frog Ritual
If anyone knows why the frogs would do this, we’d honestly be pretty invested in learning the answer. Are they all going somewhere? Is something getting their attention? Are they summoning a frog deity?
World’s Scariest Lemon
Believe it or not, the oddly terrifying thing you see in this image is actually a lemon. We’re not sure if it’s one single lemon or if a bunch of lemons somehow connected to each other or what. Frankly, it’s just bizarre.
World’s Scariest Lemon
But despite the concerning appearance, this is actually good, from a practical point of view. That’s a lot of lemon, a lot more than what you get out of a single specimen under normal circumstances! And we assume it still tastes perfectly fine.
Under Sheep Scrutiny
Sheep generally aren’t regarded as creepy. Goats, maybe, but not sheep. But then again, few people have a whole flock of sheep staring at them in the dark of the night. Yeah, it’s just them looking at you, but it’s oddly terrifying.
Under Sheep Scrutiny
Sheep are just as harmless at night as they are during the day, but that doesn’t make this flock any less unsettling. Maybe just don’t shine a light in their eyes.
Just Normal Terrifying
This is one of the examples on this list of something that isn’t really oddly terrifying: it’s actually pretty understandable to be terrified about this. After all, most people don’t like spiders, they certainly don’t like a lot of spiders, and they really don’t like a lot of spiders all over their things.
Just Normal Terrifying
What is oddly terrifying is the circumstances in which this occurred. Was this an overnight thing? Where did all of these spiders come from, and how did no one notice?
The Mantis Swarm
Of all the insects in the world, the Praying Mantis is the one you don’t really expect to see in large groups. They are generally regarded as solitary bugs. But like most bugs, they hatch in large groups, and that means you can find a situation like this.
The Mantis Swarm
This oddly terrifying image is what it looks like when you encounter a Praying Mantis nest that has just recently hatched. Well, this is disconcerting, but at least the bug in question is more tolerable than most.
The Mermaid Manatee
We don’t actually know what we’re looking at here. Well, we know it is a Manatee, but we don’t know what these weird, oddly humanoid-looking leg things are. What we do know is that it makes the Manatee look like a mermaid of some sort.
The Mermaid Manatee
We’re not sure if we should qualify this as oddly terrifying, but there’s no denying that it’s a pretty unusual-looking sight that could at least be considered uncanny.
The Cicada Army
Kids just don’t have the same issues as adults do. Most of us would think it gross to collect an army of Cicada bodies, even if it is just their skin. It’s not really terrifying, but it is a little creepy.
The Cicada Army
We’re just saying, keep an eye on that kid. Who knows what he’ll get up to in the future, as he gets older. It’s probably nothing, but most kids don’t go around amassing armies of the dead when they are young. He’s a necromancer in the making!
The Creepy Crystal
Most crystals are nice and pretty. This is not one of those crystals. In fact, this one looks like it has little spiders in it. Why it’s like that, we don’t know. What we do know is that it’s creepy.
The Creepy Crystal
It’s definitely not the kind of crystal we’d want to keep around like some sort of keepsake or anything. We suppose it’s probably still rare, but with an appearance like that, we just don’t know if it would be enough for us to keep it.
What Health Looks Like
This oddly terrifying image is actually just the root system of a plant. Not only that, but it’s actually a very healthy root system, judging by all of those little furry things that make it look so unsettling.
What Health Looks Like
It may look like some sort of parasite-infested brain or something, but this is actually a good thing for a gardener to see, and it’s a perfect example of something completely normal in this world that is still quite uncomfortable to look at.
The Quetz
Fans of dinosaur media may recognize this creature, the extinct Quetzalcoatlus. What’s so oddly terrifying about this? Frankly, it’s just the sheer size of the thing, and the knowledge that, at one point in Earth’s history, the Quetz flew around the skies.
The Quetz
Imagine walking around, only to see a massive shadow blot out the sun above you. Scary! On the other hand, we have to wonder if you could ride them in reality. Domesticated giant reptile birds, now that would be pretty cool!
What in Tarnation
Believe it or not, this is not a whole bunch of eyeballs. It’s actually some sort of plant. We’re not sure what kind, but needless to say, it’s oddly terrifying to think that you could just encounter this thing out in the wild.
What In Tarnation
Imagine the kind of heart attack you would have seen this thing while walking around in the woods or the jungle, or wherever it is you would find it. The eyes, they are always watching!
Chocolate Baby Dolls
If you need an example of how the 1920s was just a different time, this terrifying image is all you need. No, these are not burned dolls or anything. They are actually little chocolate babies, supposed to treat back in 1923 or so.
Chocolate Baby Dolls
We have no idea why society back then would think chocolate babies are something anyone would want to eat, but once again, it was a different time. Society’s taste was just weird back then.
A Double Take
There are some oddly terrifying things you can do with makeup that most people don’t really know or understand. This is one such example. It looks very creepy, but the only thing being used to achieve this unsettling effect is makeup.
A Double Take
It’s a wonder what you can do with makeup. Most people think it just hides blemishes or makes you a little prettier. But if you really know what you’re doing, even things like this are possible.
River Monsters
Honestly, Catfish are just oddly terrifying in general. Sure, they seem harmless enough most of the time, but the sheer size they can grow to is absolutely crazy. Just look at this thing! This Catfish could probably eat a human child!
River Monsters
And honestly, that’s all there really is to say on this front. It’s just incredibly troubling how massive this fish is. It’s practically the size of a shark.
Safety First
There are many things that are terrifying and creepy about this image. That’s probably because it was taken at a time when people actually had to worry about mustard gas and the like from foreign enemies.
Safety First
The gas mask is obvious enough, but that thing she’s pushing around? That’s a baby stroller. A baby stroller is designed to protect the baby from toxic gas. The fact that such a thing even needed to exist at some point is terrifying.
Whale Lord
Whales aren’t terrifying because of their behavior. In fact, most whales are relatively peaceful, at least towards humans. That’s why this is oddly terrifying. The whale itself isn’t an intentional threat to the ship it is under, but its sheer size makes it so.
Whale Lord
Few things are as scary to humans as creatures that dwarf them so completely. Thankfully, whales of this size don’t go out of their way to be a problem for sailors.
Ice Demon
This image is nothing more than water that has frozen over, a completely natural phenomenon. And yet, it’s so oddly terrifying that it froze in the shape of a person like that. It almost looks like some sort of ghost or spirit.
Ice Demon
You’d be surprised what kind of weird shapes can come up when water freezes since it can clearly freeze in all sorts of positions. However, this is the only example we’re looking at in this particular list.
Big Brain Moves
The deeper into the ocean you go, the creepier the living organisms you will find. You will even find oddly terrifying things like this fish, which has its brain and eyeballs visible through its skin. Eerie.
Big Brain Moves
And yet, it’s also pretty darn fascinating. It’s amazing to see how animals in a completely different environment from the surface have evolved in completely different ways. Perhaps that is what makes them so inherently uncanny to us.
It’s Alive, We Promise
Looking at this picture, we’d forgive you for assuming that skinny wet thing is dead. But it actually isn’t: it’s a newborn alpaca. Because it just came out of the womb, its hair is mostly slicked to its body, creating this creepy image.
It’s Alive, We Promise
It’s pretty crazy that the baby alpaca is that thin under all of its hair. It’s hard to imagine that it even has enough room for its organs in there!
The Bat Nursery
Sometimes, people forget that bats are actually mammals and thus do mammalian things, such as nurse they’re young in a manner such as this. Thing is, most people probably never see a bat nursery since bats are so secretive.
The Bat Nursery
We’re torn on whether or not this is creepy or actually kind of cute. Maybe it’s a little bit of both, as there’s no reason they have to be mutually exclusive. It probably depends on the individual seeing the image, mostly.
Demonic Possession
The panoramic phenomenon is something most people are aware of these days: if people move around too much during a panoramic photo, weird images come out, often looking like this. Such images are always oddly terrifying.
Demonic Possession
In the case of this particular photo, it looks like this poor woman has sprouted another head born of demonic possession or something. Certainly not the way anyone wanted this picture to turn out, we’re sure.
The Nope Stairs
Even if you’re not afraid of heights, something about these stairs is terrifying. They are just so high up, while twisting around, with only a moderate amount of safety… it’s just unsettling. We assume an elevator is used normally.
The Nope Stairs
That said, these must be the stairs for emergencies, like fires or if the elevator is out. That high up though, they may as well just have emergency parachutes available!
Carrying the Young
This image is oddly terrifying because it’s hard to tell what’s going on at first glance. No, this bird doesn’t have multiple legs. It’s actually carrying its babies up under its wings, and their legs just hang down like that.
Carrying The Young
Once again, a perfect example of something that is completely natural, yet very strange and creepy to look at at first glance. Once you know what’s happening, it’s not quite as bad, but the point still stands.
Eye in the Sky
What’s more oddly terrifying than a giant evil-eye-looking thing watching planet Earth from the depths of space? Well, probably a few things (black holes come to mind), but this is definitely still pretty high on the list as far as creepy things go.
Eye In The Sky
It certainly gives us Eye of Sauron vibes, and we all know how creepy that thing was. Then again, the depths of space are oddly terrifying even without this kind of thing, when you really think about it.
Original Creep
Remember when we said that Halloween used to be a lot scarier than it is now? Case in point, this is right here. These terrifying customers were the norm for kids. Kids! These types of costumes were seen as innocuous, now that’s crazy!
Original Creep
Needless to say, we’re glad Halloween became somewhat less terrifying over time. Not to say there isn’t a place for scary things, but this is a little much.
River Dolphins
Dolphins are generally regarded as fairly cute and cuddly. But not this one. We’re not quite sure what it is, but this dolphin is just creepy. We think its the eyes, personally. That said, it’s a little bit of everything.
River Dolphins
Heck, even the way this dolphin is smiling or laughing or whatever is pretty unsettling. We feel kind of bad saying that because the dolphin is probably just having a good time, but it is what it is. He’s just not a cute dolphin.
Way Too Literal
Do we even need to say anything about this? Maybe it’s not terrifying, per se, but it’s definitely disconcerting. Would anyone really want to eat that? Well, if you’re starving, maybe.
Way Too Literal
We don’t know why anyone would take the term ‘fish taco’ this literally. Of course, we’re not entirely sure if this photo is real or shopping, but one way or another, we really don’t like looking at it.
Aliens from the Water
Believe it or not, this terrifying guy is just a shark. Well, a certain type of shark, but a shark nevertheless. He really looks more like some sort of alien monster than a normal animal just trying to catch a meal.
Aliens From The Water
We’re assuming his eyes are further up on his head and not visible. Those other holes are probably something else (do sharks have nostrils?). Whatever it is, this aquatic creature looks like it belongs in a science fiction film.
In the Womb
Everyone knows that babies develop in the womb and that they have to go from tiny little embryos to fully human beings. But other than some vague ultrasound images, most people don’t ever actually see what the baby looks like between those stages.
In The Womb
Maybe that’s for the best. We’re not even sure if you could call this image oddly terrifying. It seems pretty understandable to be terrified of this kind of image.
Scary Carey
Everyone likes Jim Carey as the Grinch. But we’re willing to bet a lot of people don’t realize that the expressions he makes as the character, he’s capable of making in real life. Case in point, this facial expression right here.
Scary Carey
It’s very unsettling to know that he can contort his face into such a shape. But on the other hand, it’s also pretty impressive that he can do that, isn’t it? Imagine having that much control over your facial muscles.
We Make Do
Hermit crabs and other members of their ilk will use all sorts of things as their home. However, they don’t have any sort of metric to judge how creepy something will be, so it doesn’t bother them to use a baby doll head as home. For us humans, that’s just scary.
We Make Do
Sure, this is just a normal part of nature, but it’s oddly terrifying to look at. Needless to say, it would probably give a scuba diver some sort of heart attack!